Accents is published weekly during the fall and spring semesters with the exception of semester breaks and holiday weeks.The deadline for submission is no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesdays.Visit Accents archives for other past issues.

August 17, 2012

75th Anniversary Begins

The fall 2012 semester and the 75th Anniversary Celebration of Missouri Southern State University will kick off with an all-campus picnic on Monday, Aug. 20.The picnic will be held from 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on the Oval. It will feature music, games and prizes.

A full selection of picnic food will be available to faculty, staff and students with university I.D.

Members of the public are invited at no cost.

At 12:30 p.m., those taking part in the picnic will participate in a special 75th Anniversary group photo.

Board Meeting Today

The Board of Governors of Missouri Southern State University will meet in the Board Room (Room 310) of the Billingsly Student Center at 1 p.m. today, Friday, Aug. 17.

The meeting is open to the public, including MSSU employees.

President's Council Helps Students Move In

Members of the President's Council were on hand to welcome Residence Hall students back to the campus yesterday.

"We're excited about this semester and want our students to be excited, too," President Bruce W. Speck said.

"This is just something we wanted to do to show them their decision to come here for their education is appreciated."Dean of Students Ron Mitchell says approximately 680 students will be living on campus -- full capacity for the new semester.

"I'm trying not to think about it right now," one mother said as she arrived to drop her daughter off and help her move in to the Residence Halls. "It's going to be a big change."

"It's a happy time," said one mother from St. Louis. "There'll be some tears in awhile but it's a happy time to see our son go off to college."

Faculty Service Award Winners

Faculty Service Award winners were recognized at this morning's faculty meeting. The faculty members are:

Lion Pride Weekend Aug. 17-19

Lion Pride Weekend is desgigned for all new MSSU students and their families. The weekend is packed with activities to help students become acquainted with Joplin, meet new friends, and learn what it means to be a LION!

On Sunday, Aug. 19, the First-Year Student Convocation will be held in Taylor Performing Arts Center from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. The afternoon will feature comments from MSSU President Dr. Bruce Speck. Members of the Administration and University Experience instructors and student assistants will be present. Parents are invited to bring cameras to take photos of new students from their families at the Medallion Ceremony.

"Campus Craze" is a longstanding Missouri Southern tradition. It will take place from 6 – 8 p.m. Sunday night on the campus Oval. The event features live music, free food, the President's Ice Cream Social, campus tours, photos with the MSSU Lion and door prizes.

T-Shirts Arrive on Campus

The Welcome Week T-shirts many employees purchased through the bookstore are available in the Student Activities office starting today.

Stop by the Student Activities office, next to the Lion's Den, in the Billingsly Student Center to pick up the shirt(s) you ordered.

Lions & Tigers & Bears Scholarship

Competitive scholarships are available for currently enrolled MSSU students who demonstrate:

* Financial need* Continuing losses from the May 22, 2011, Joplin tornado* Good standing with MSSU

Applications maybe made online at LioNet.

Deadline for applications is Friday, Sept. 28. Awards will be made available spring semester 2013. Funds are made possible as a result of charity basketball games between the Lions and Mizzou and Missouri State.

For more information, contact Michael Fontana, Development Officer in the Missouri Southern Foundation in hearnes Hall

Michael may be contacted by telephone at 417.659.4436.

Help Fill the Bus to Minot

If you've been waiting for the right opportunity to volunteer your time and help others in need, MSSU's Resource Development Center (RDC) has the perfect opportunity for you this fall.

Join us from Sept. 5-9 as we travel to Minot, N.D., to take the Stars of Hope to the people of Minot and encourage residents there as they continue to recover from last summer's devastating floods. This is our opportunity to pay forward the well-wishes and generosity that thousands of volunteers showered upon us after last year's tornado. We call it "Joplin 'On Fire' for Service" – and it's part of a larger National Day of Service and Remembrance platform which encourages volunteerism in honor of 9-11.

Participants of the trip to Minot pay a fee of $450; this includes transportation, lodging, meals, and much more! The funds can be paid by the participant or raised through sponsorships. We'll load the buses and head to Minot on the heels of a support rally to be held on the MSSU campus the afternoon of Sept. 5. While in Minot we'll help paint and place the Stars of Hope around the community, just as they were placed in Joplin by volunteers following the tornado.

Can't make the trip? There are other ways you can help! Local service projects on campus and in the community will take place Sept. 10-15, including "Operation Goody Bag," a follow-up project with Historic Murphysburg Preservation and partnership with Habitat for Humanity. If you are an MSSU employee or student and you do want to make the trip to Minot, here's the information you need to know:

Staff can participate without taking vacation with supervisor approval. Faculty must have approval from VPAA. Students need permission from their professors.

For more information about the trip to Minot or local volunteer projects, visit our website or Facebook page. You can reach MSSU's RDC by phone at 417.625.3521.

Wellness Screenings during Wellapalooza

Beginning this year, the MSSU Wellness Screening Fair will be held during the fall semester of each year during Wellapalooza Week.

The purpose of the Wellness Screening Fair is to provide various free to low cost screening opportunities to MSSU students, faculty, staff, retirees, and their spouses, regardless of income level or insurance status, in order to continue improving and maintaining the well-being of each member of our campus community. Read More

IT Help Desk Moves to Plaster Hall

The Information Technology HelpDesk is now located in IT User Services area in the lower level of Plaster Hall, Al Stadler, MSSU Chief Information Officer (CIO), noted this week.The HelpDesk was previously located on the second floor of Spiva Library.

"In addition, Robert (Bob) Tessman will assume responsibility for HelpDesk operations while Debbie Woodmansee will be taking on responsibilities in support of MSSU's training efforts," Stadler said.

"We are making these moves to continue to refine our HelpDesk and technical services operations and provide more support and training resources," the CIO said.

Students and employees will still call 417.659.4444 or email helpdesk@mssu.edu to reach support staff.

Southern Serenade

Tonight at 5 p.m., SOUTHERN SERENADE will celebrate Lewis Carroll Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and its sequel, Through the Looking Glass (1871), in both poetry and music on 88.7KXMS.

First, Jason Alexander (a.k.a. George Costanza) reads "The Walrus and the Carpenter," one of the best known poems. Alexander's reading is followed by a new Naxos release of Deems Taylor's musical take on the same Carroll source, Through the Looking Glass (1917). The Seattle Symphony Orchestra performs under conductor Gerard Schwarz.

Garrison Keillor visits with "The Writer's Almanac," and John Zech has the penultimate word Friday evening with "Composers Datebook" for August 17.

88.7KXMS, now in its 26th year, is a cultural resource and a community service of Missouri Southern State University

Retired Staff Member Passes

Larry B. Meacham, Sr., 79, Joplin, died Saturday, August 11 at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin.

Larry worked as a writer and photographer for Missouri Southern, retiring in 1998. He was a journalist, writer and photographer. He worked as a television news director for the ABC, CBS and NBC affiliates in the Joplin area. He was a United States combat veteran of the Korean War. He was an active member of the VFW. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Mary Meacham; two sons, Larry Meacham and Jared Meacham;

Funeral services were held earlier this week. Internment, with full military honors, took place at Fairview Cemetery.

To see a longer obituary, sign an online guestbook or send private condolences, see Larry Meacham.

Galapagos Islands, Anyone?

Visit the ecological paradise of Darwin’s famed Galapagos Islands. See the unique flora and animals including the giant tortoises, iguanas, penguins, flightless cormorants and Darwin’s 13 species of finches. Become culturally immersed in the lives of the Guamotians; you will observe activities such as farming, handicrafts, cooking and meet and participate with children during their school day! All faculty, staff and students are invited to attend the first organizational meeting!